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Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, usually abbreviated to MK Dons, is a professional association football club based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system. The club was founded in 2004, following Wimbledon F.C.'s controversial relocation to Milton Keynes from south London, when it adopted its present name, badge and home colours.<ref group="n" name="before2004">The club abandoned its claim to any history before 2004 in October 2006 as part of an agreement with the Football Supporters' Federation, which had previously boycotted the team and its supporters' groups. Under this deal Milton Keynes Dons transferred Wimbledon F.C.'s trophies and other patrimony to Merton Council in south London in 2007.<ref name=fsf1/></ref>
Initially based at the National Hockey Stadium, the club competed as Milton Keynes Dons from the start of the 2004–05 season. The club moved to their current ground, Stadium MK, for the 2007–08 season, in which they won the League Two title and the Football League Trophy. After seven further seasons in League One, the club won promotion to the Championship in 2015 under the management of Karl Robinson; however, they were relegated back to League One after one season.
Milton Keynes Dons have built a reputation for youth development,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> run 16 disability teams and their football trust engages around 60,000 people; between 2012 and 2013 the club produced 11 young players who have been called into age group national teams and between 2004 and 2014 the club also gave first-team debuts to 14 local academy graduates, including the England international midfielder Dele Alli.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The club also operates a women's team, Milton Keynes Dons Women, who groundshare Stadium MK with their male counterparts, and currently play in the third tier of the English women's football pyramid.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
OriginsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Further Template:Location map+ Milton Keynes, about Template:Convert north-west of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967.<ref name="mkweb1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the absence of a professional football club representing the town—none of the local non-league teams progressed significantly through the English football league system or "pyramid" over the following decades—it was occasionally suggested that a Football League club might relocate there. There was no precedent in English league football for such a move between conurbations and the football authorities and most fans expressed strong opposition to the idea.<ref>Template:Cite book; Template:Cite book; Template:Cite bookTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Charlton Athletic briefly mooted moving to "a progressive Midlands borough" during a planning dispute with their local council in 1973,<ref>Template:Cite journal; Template:Cite journal</ref> and the relocation of nearby Luton Town to Milton Keynes was repeatedly suggested from the 1980s onwards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another team linked with the new town was Wimbledon Football Club.<ref name=noadesradio>Template:Cite news</ref>
Wimbledon, established in south London in 1889 and nicknamed "the Dons", were elected to the Football League in 1977. They thereafter went through a "fairytale" rise from obscurity and by the end of the 1980s were established in the top division of English football, as well as winning the 1988 FA Cup final.<ref name=toobigfortheirroots>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite Wimbledon's new prominence, the club's modest home stadium at Plough Lane remained largely unchanged from its non-league days.<ref name=toobigfortheirroots/> The club's then-owner Ron Noades identified this as a problem as early as 1979, extending his dissatisfaction to the ground's very location. Interested in the stadium site designated by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Noades briefly planned to move Wimbledon there by merging with a non-league club in Milton Keynes, and bought debt-ridden Milton Keynes City. However, Noades then decided that the club would not gain sufficient support in Milton Keynes and abandoned the idea.<ref name=noadesradio/>
In 1991, after the Taylor Report was published recommending the redevelopment of English football grounds, Wimbledon left Plough Lane to groundshare at Crystal Palace's ground, Selhurst Park, about Template:Convert away. Sam Hammam, who then owned Wimbledon, said the club could not afford to redevelop Plough Lane and that the groundshare was a temporary arrangement while a new ground was sourced in south-west London. A new stadium for Wimbledon proved difficult to achieve.<ref name=toobigfortheirroots/> Frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of support from Merton Council, Hammam began to look further afield and by 1996 was pursuing a move to Dublin, an idea that most Wimbledon fans strongly opposed.<ref name="balls">Template:Cite news</ref> Hammam sold the club to two Norwegian businessmen, Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten, in 1997,<ref name="hammamsellsup">Template:Cite news</ref> and a year later sold Plough Lane to Safeway supermarkets.<ref name=mihirbose>Template:Cite news</ref> Wimbledon were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 1999–2000 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Starting in 1997,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a consortium led by music promoter Pete Winkelman and supported by Asda (a Walmart subsidiary) and IKEA proposed a large retail development in Milton Keynes including a Football League-standard stadium.<ref name=cloake14>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=conn2012>Template:Cite news</ref> The consortium originally proposed that the stadium be located at the National Bowl but later altered their proposal to change the site of the proposed stadium to Denbigh North, the same site as the mooted retail development.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The consortium proposed that an established league club move to use this site;<ref name="cloake14" /><ref name="conn2012" /> it approached Luton, Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Barnet, and Queens Park Rangers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2001 Røkke and Gjelsten appointed a new chairman, Charles Koppel, who was in favour of this idea, saying it was necessary to stop the club going out of business.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> To the fury of most Wimbledon fans,<ref name="oppositiontomove" /> Koppel announced on 2 August 2001 that the club intended to relocate to Milton Keynes. After the Football League refused permission, Wimbledon launched an appeal, leading to a Football Association arbitration hearing and subsequently the appointment of a three-man independent commission to make a final and binding verdict. The league and FA stated opposition but the commissioners ruled in favour, two to one, on 28 May 2002.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Having campaigned against the move,<ref name=oppositiontomove>Template:Cite book; Template:Cite news</ref> a group of disaffected Wimbledon fans reacted to this in June 2002 by forming their own non-league club, AFC Wimbledon, to which most of the original team's support defected.<ref name=Pitchbattle>Template:Cite news</ref> AFC Wimbledon entered a groundshare agreement with Kingstonian in the borough of Kingston upon Thames, adjacent to Merton.<ref name=Pitchbattle/> The original Wimbledon intended to move to Milton Keynes immediately but were unable to do so until a temporary home in the town meeting Football League criteria could be found.<ref name=couldmoveduringseason>Template:Cite news</ref> The club remained at Selhurst Park in the meantime and in June 2003 went into administration.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> With the move threatened and the club facing liquidation,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Winkelman decided to buy it himself.<ref name=conn2012/> He secured funding for the administrators to keep the team operating with the goal of getting it to Milton Keynes as soon as possible.<ref name=stillbackdons>Template:Cite news</ref> The club arranged the temporary use of the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes and played its first match there in September 2003.<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> Nine months later Winkelman's Inter MK Group bought the club out of administration and announced changes to its name, badge and colours—the team was renamed Milton Keynes Dons Football Club.<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref>
HistoryEdit
2004–2006: Struggles and relegationEdit
The first season for the club as Milton Keynes Dons was 2004–05, in Football League One, under Stuart Murdoch, who had managed Wimbledon F.C. since 2002. The team's first game was on 7 August 2004, a 1–1 home draw against Barnsley, with Izale McLeod equalising with their first competitive goal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Murdoch was sacked in November<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and replaced by Danny Wilson, who kept Milton Keynes Dons in the division on the final day of the season — largely due to Wrexham's 10-point deduction for going into administration. The following season, Milton Keynes Dons struggled all year, and were relegated to League Two; Wilson, as a result, was sacked.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2006–2010: Promotion and first silverwareEdit
Wilson's successor for 2006–07 was Martin Allen, who had just taken Brentford to the brink of a place in the Football League Championship. Milton Keynes Dons were in contention for automatic promotion right up to the last game of the season, but eventually finished fourth and had to settle for a play-off place. They then suffered a defeat to Shrewsbury Town in the play-off semi-finals. During the 2007 summer break, Allen left to take over at Leicester City.
For the 2007–08 season, former England captain Paul Ince took over as manager. Milton Keynes Dons reached the final of the Football League Trophy, while topping the table for most of the season. The final was played on 30 March 2008 against Grimsby Town — Milton Keynes Dons won 2–0 at Wembley to bring the first professional trophy to Milton Keynes. The club capped the trophy win with the League Two championship, and the subsequent promotion to League One. Following his successes, Ince left at the end of the season to manage Blackburn Rovers.
Ince's replacement was former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo, taking his first role as a manager. In the 2008–09 season, they missed out on an automatic promotion spot by two points, finishing third behind Peterborough United and Leicester City. They were knocked out of the play-offs by Scunthorpe United, who defeated MK Dons by penalty shootout at Stadium MK. Di Matteo left at the season's end for West Bromwich Albion.<ref name="dimatteoleaves">Template:Cite news</ref> A year after leaving, Ince returned as manager for the 2009–10 season.<ref name="inceback">Template:Cite news</ref> He resigned from the club on 16 April 2010, but remained manager until the end of the season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010–2016: Karl Robinson eraEdit
On 10 May 2010, Karl Robinson was appointed as the club's new manager, with former England coach John Gorman as his assistant. At 29 years of age, Robinson was at the time of his appointment the youngest manager in the Football League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his first season in the club Milton Keynes Dons finished fifth in 2010–11 League One. They faced Peterborough United in the play-off semifinals. Although they won the first leg 2–1, a 2–0 defeat at London Road meant they missed out on the play-off final, losing the Semi-Final 3–2 on aggregate goals.
The 2011–12 season brought similar results to the previous season with the Dons finishing fifth in 2011–12 League One facing Huddersfield in the play-offs. Losing the first leg 2–0 followed by winning 2–1 at The Galpharm saw Milton Keynes Dons lose 3–2 on aggregate against the eventual play-off winners. The away leg was John Gorman's last match in football after announcing his retirement a few weeks beforehand. Gorman's replacement was announced on 18 May 2012 as being ex-Luton manager Mick Harford along with new part-time coach Ian Wright.
Milton Keynes Dons experienced their best ever FA Cup campaign in the 2012–13 season by beating a spirited Cambridge City (0–0 and 6–1), League Two fierce rivals AFC Wimbledon (2–1), Championship Sheffield Wednesday (0–0 and 2–0) and Premier League Queens Park Rangers (4–2) to reach the fifth round of the competition for the first time in their history. Their record-breaking run ended in the fifth round at Stadium MK on 16 February 2013, losing 3–1 to Championship side Barnsley. After being in the top five for most of the season, the club finished the 2013–14 League One season in tenth place.
The 2014–15 season began well. The highlight event of the season's first month was being drawn against Manchester United in the League Cup second round, having dispatched AFC Wimbledon in the first. The Dons recorded a shock 4–0 victory over Manchester United in front of a sell out crowd at Stadium MK.<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite news</ref> A few weeks later, the Dons recorded their record win, a 6–0 thrashing of Colchester United at home.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That record did not last long as it was broken once again with a 7–0 demolition of Oldham Athletic on 20 December 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Just over a month later, on 31 January 2015, the Dons recorded a joint record 5–0 away win against Crewe Alexandra, earning a short-lived top spot.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">Template:Cite news</ref> On 3 May the club secured promotion to the Football League Championship for the first time, beating Yeovil Town 5–1 and leapfrogging Preston North End (who lost 1–0 at Colchester United) on the final day of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Dons started life in the Championship by beating Rotherham United away 4–1 on the opening day of the season and gaining seven points from a possible 12 in their first four games. They were not able to sustain this form throughout the season – the Dons did not win any of their final 11 games and they returned to League One after finishing 23rd in the Championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 23 October 2016, Karl Robinson left the club by mutual consent, following a 3–0 home defeat by Southend United the previous day, which had extended the Dons' winless run to four games and left them 19th in the League One table.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2016–2018: Slow declineEdit
Robbie Neilson joined MK Dons as manager from Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in his native Scotland,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with his first official game in charge coincidentally an FA Cup tie against Karl Robinson's new club Charlton Athletic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Neilson's reign started off well, with his second game in charge a win over AFC Wimbledon,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and in late January 2017 a local derby win against Northampton Town.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The following season started badly; however, on 30 December 2017 the team was noted<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> for a remarkable 1–0 derby win against Peterborough, playing with 9 men for 68 minutes after controversial refereeing decisions<ref>FOOTBALL ON 5: GOAL RUSH, Saturday 30 December, Season 2017/18 Episode 21</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and 13 minutes of added time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Neilson left by mutual consent on 20 January 2018 after a run of one win in eleven league games with the club 21st in the table;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he was sacked the same day as his last game, a disappointing away 2–1 derby defeat against relegation rivals Northampton Town.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Under Neilson's successor, Dan Micciche, the club continued to struggle in the relegation places. Following a run of poor results with only three wins in sixteen matches in charge, Micciche left the club on 22 April 2018, with assistant manager Keith Millen taking over as a caretaker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On the penultimate weekend of the season another defeat relegated them to League Two (leaving them seven points from safety with one game to play).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2018–2023: Bounce-back and search for stabilityEdit
Former Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale was appointed in June 2018 after 12 years at his previous club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After a season where the Dons were tipped to be favourites for promotion, the club spent most of the season around the automatic promotion and play-off places. Going top after a 2–0 win over Macclesfield Town in November,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the club sunk to 8th in February<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> before being one win way away from automatic promotion against play-off hopefuls Colchester United in the penultimate game. The Dons lost 2–0<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which led to a "winner takes all" game against 3rd placed Mansfield Town, who were separated by goal difference, to determine who was promoted.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> MK Dons won 1–0 in front of nearly 21,000 fans meaning they returned to League One at the first attempt.<ref name="bbc.co.uk1">Template:Cite news</ref>
Following a poor start to the 2019–20 season in which the Dons achieved only one point from a possible 27, the worst run of results in the club's history, Tisdale's contract with the club was mutually terminated on 2 November 2019 following a 1–3 home defeat to fellow relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The next day, Russell Martin was announced as the new permanent first-team manager; he had joined as a player earlier in the year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fixtures were suspended on 13 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the clubs later voted to end the season prematurely with immediate effect on 9 June 2020, with the final table decided upon by an unweighted points-per-game system resulting in the club finishing the season in 19th place,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> thus avoiding relegation.
The Dons went into the final weekend of the 2021–22 League One season with a chance of gaining automatic promotion to the Championship, and even had a slim chance of becoming Champions if they won by a big score and other results went their way. They comfortably beat Plymouth Argyle 5–0,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but both Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United won their games against Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham, respectively, to claim the two automatic promotion berths.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Dons finished third<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and faced Buckinghamshire rivals Wycombe Wanderers in the play-offs. Despite the Dons having home advantage in the second leg of their semi-final, Wycombe won 2–1 on aggregate to reach the final at Wembley.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
MK Dons suffered relegation to League Two in the 2022–23 League One season. Liam Manning was replaced as manager in December 2022,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but successor Mark Jackson registered just six wins in 25 games and was sacked after the side were relegated following a final day 0–0 draw at Burton Albion.<ref name="BBC-09May2023">Template:Cite news</ref>
2023–present: Return to League TwoEdit
On 27 May 2023, MK Dons appointed Graham Alexander as their new head coach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After an eight-match winless run, Alexander was sacked with MK Dons in 16th place.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 17 October 2023, MK Dons announced that they had appointed Gateshead manager Mike Williamson as their new head coach.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He led MK Dons to a 4th-placed finish, where they faced Crawley Town in the play-off semi-finals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Crawley won 8–1 on aggregate, inflicting the largest play-off defeat in EFL history on the club.<ref name="BBC-11 May 2024"/> This was the sixth time MK Dons had competed in the play-offs without reaching a final.<ref name="BBC-11 May 2024">Template:Cite news</ref>
On 9 August 2024, the owner, Pete Winkelman, sold the club to a Kuwait-based consortium, with Fahad Al Ghanim becoming the club's new chairman, representing the first change in ownership since the club's inception.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After four losses in the opening six games, including a 3–0 defeat to arch-rivals AFC Wimbledon,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mike Williamson was appointed as the manager of Carlisle United on 19 September, with the Cumbrians meeting the release clause in his contract.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> MK Dons appointed Williamson's replacement, the Crawley Town boss Scott Lindsey, on 25 September 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Lindsey's contract was terminated on 2 March 2025, with the club in 17th place, following a run of just two wins from 14 league games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 15 April 2025, Paul Warne was announced as the Head Coach on a 'long term' deal with just 4 games remaining of the 2024–25 EFL League Two season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Kit historyEdit
- Only seasons played by Milton Keynes Dons under that name are given here. For a kit history of Wimbledon F.C., see Wimbledon F.C.#Kit history.
| Season | Kit manufacturer | Main sponsor | Back of shirt | Sleeve | Shorts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | A-line | Marshall Amplification | ||||
| 2005–2006 | ||||||
| 2006–2007 | Surridge Sports | |||||
| 2007–2008 | Nike | |||||
| 2008–2009 | ||||||
| 2009–2010 | DoubleTree by Hilton | |||||
| 2010–2011 | ISC | |||||
| 2011–2012 | ||||||
| 2012–2013 | Vandanel | Case Security | ||||
| 2013–2014 | Sondico | |||||
| 2014–2015 | Suzuki GB<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
| 2015–2016 | Erreà | |||||
| 2016–2017 | ||||||
| 2017–2018 | ||||||
| 2018–2019 | ||||||
| 2019–2020 | ||||||
| 2020–2021 | ||||||
| 2021–2022 | ||||||
| 2022–2023 | Castore<ref name="Castore">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> || rowspan="3" align="center"|eEnergy <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
| 2023–2024 | ||||||
| 2024–2025 | Stadium Support Services Ltd<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||||
Source: Historical Football Kits
StadiumEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
The club's first stadium was the National Hockey Stadium, which was temporarily converted for football for the duration of the club's stay. Their lease on the venue ended in May 2007.
On 18 July 2007, the club's new 30,500 capacity stadium, Stadium MK in Denbigh hosted its first game, a restricted-entrance event against a young Chelsea XI.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The stadium was officially opened on 29 November 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The stadium features an open concourse at the top of the lower tier, an integrated hotel with rooms looking over the pitch and conference facilities. The complex was to include a 3,000 capacity indoor arena, where the MK Lions basketball team would be based, but completion of this arena was delayed due to deferral of proposed commercial developments around the site.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In May 2009, the stadium was named as one of 15 stadia put forward as potential hosts for the England 2018 FIFA World Cup bid, which would include increasing capacity to 44,000,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> however England's bid was later unsuccessful. In recent years Stadium MK has played host to the 2014 FA Women's Cup final, three Rugby World Cup 2015 fixtures<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and four matches (including a semi-final) of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
SupportersEdit
Initial supporters' club recognitionEdit
On 4 June 2005, at the 2005 Football Supporters' Federation "Fans' Parliament" (AGM), the FSF refused the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association (MKDSA) membership of the FSF in a debate that, among other arguments, questioned why the Football League had yet to introduce any new rules to prevent the "franchising" of other football clubs in the future.<ref>FSF Annual Report for 2005 Motion 1 on pages 6</ref><ref>FSF Annual Report for 2006 minutes pages 44/45</ref> In addition, the FSF membership agreed with the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association (WISA) that the MKDSA should not be entitled to join the FSF until they give up all claim to the history and honours of Wimbledon FC. With this in mind, the FSF began discussions aimed at returning Wimbledon FC's honours to the London Borough of Merton.
Shortly afterwards, following heavy criticism for allowing the move, the Football League announced new tighter rules on club relocation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At its AGM on 5 June 2006, the FSF again considered a motion<ref>FSF Annual Report for 2006 Motion 6 (pages 6)</ref> proposed by the FSF Council to allow Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association membership if the honours and trophies of Wimbledon FC were given to the London Borough of Merton. In October 2006, agreement<ref>Accord on patrimony of Wimbledon FC MKDSA website.</ref> was reached between the club, the Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Association, the Wimbledon Independent Supporters' Association and the Football Supporters Federation. The FA Cup trophy plus all club patrimony gathered under the name of Wimbledon Football Club would be returned to the London Borough of Merton. Ownership of trademarks and website domain names related to Wimbledon would also be transferred to the borough. As part of the same agreement it was agreed that any reference made to Milton Keynes Dons should refer only to events subsequent to 7 August 2004 (the date of the first league game of Milton Keynes Dons).
As a result of this deal, the FSF announced that the supporters of Milton Keynes Dons would be permitted to become members of the federation, and that it would no longer appeal to the supporters of other clubs to boycott Milton Keynes Dons' matches.<ref>FSF press release "MK Dons agree to return Wimbledon trophies to Merton – and sanction amendments to football statistics"</ref> On 2 August 2007, Milton Keynes Dons transferred ownership of all Wimbledon Football Club trophies and memorabilia to the London Borough of Merton.<ref name="MertonTroph">Template:Cite news</ref>
RivalriesEdit
AFC Wimbledon
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Due to their shared ancestry in Wimbledon F.C., there is an unavoidably acrimonious rivalry with AFC Wimbledon<ref>MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon: What is the feeling among fans?Template:Snd BBC Sport, 9 December 2016</ref> since the relocation of Wimbledon F.C. to Milton Keynes;<ref name=failed>"AFC Wimbledon face Football League probe after refusing to recognise bitter rivals MK Dons", The Daily Mirror, 23 September 2017</ref>
The first fixture between the two clubs took place on 2 December 2012 in the second round of the 2012–13 FA Cup, where they were drawn to play each other at Stadium MK. Milton Keynes Dons won the match 2–1, with a winner scored in injury time by Jon Otsemobor and later dubbed by MK Dons fans as "The Heel of God" (a reference to Maradona's "Hand of God").<ref name=firstgame>Template:Cite news</ref> Kyle McFadzean's opening goal for MK Dons in the second match between the two clubs, a 3–1 Milton Keynes win in the first round of the League Cup in August 2014,<ref name=mk3afc12014>Template:Cite news</ref> was also scored with his heel, and was consequently labelled "Heel of God II".<ref name=heelofgod>Template:Cite news</ref> Two months later, in the Football League Trophy Southern section second round, AFC Wimbledon defeated MK Dons 3–2 with a winning goal by Adebayo Akinfenwa.<ref name=mk2afc32014>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 10 December 2016, the sides met for the first time in a competitive league fixture following MK Dons' relegation from the Championship and AFC Wimbledon's promotion from League Two the previous season. Milton Keynes Dons won 1–0, with Dean Bowditch scoring the only goal of the game with a 63rd-minute penalty.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The first visit of MK Dons to AFC Wimbledon's home ground for a League One match on 14 March 2017 resulted in a 2–0 victory for AFC Wimbledon. The 2018–19 season saw AFC Wimbledon remain in League One, in a higher league than MK Dons for the first time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2017, AFC Wimbledon, in the club's programme for their home game against the Dons, played on 22 September, failed to recognise their opponents by their full name for the second successive season. AFC Wimbledon's official Twitter feed also referred to their opponents as "Milton Keynes" throughout their match coverage. AFC Wimbledon were subsequently threatened by the EFL with disciplinary action,<ref name=failed/> and eventually charged with breaching EFL regulations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The charges were dropped.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> AFC Wimbledon were forced to refer to MK Dons by their full name ahead of the 2019–20 season, after the EFL stepped in to mediate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Peterborough United
MK Dons have a rivalry with Peterborough United,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> since the two clubs have vied head-to-head for promotion to the Championship in recent years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A rivalry also exists between MK Lightning and Peterborough Phantoms in ice hockey that pre-dates the football rivalry.<ref>"Say it with flowers: Floral face-off for local ice hockey rivals", ITV News, 22 November 2014</ref>
Northampton Town
Northampton is geographically the closest urban area to Milton Keynes with a professional football team, Northampton Town, the two places separated by a little over Template:Convert.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Former MK Dons Supporters' Association Chairman John Brockwell had stated that the fans were looking forward to hosting Northampton Town, the club that, geographically at least, are their nearest rivals.<ref name=north/> Although Peterborough United have been traditionally Northampton's main rivals, the "Cobblers" spokesman has stated, in 2008, that, "with MK Dons now on the fixture list, it gives [Northampton] supporters the chance to develop another rivalry."<ref name=north>"Northampton v Milton Keynes: 15 miles away but a world apart Template:Webarchive", Northampton Chronicle, 14 August 2008</ref>
In January 2016 police arrested a Milton Keynes fan for setting off pyrotechnics in the away end, and two Northampton fans and three more Milton Keynes fans were ejected from the ground.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2018, before the 30 January 3pm kick-off in the League One game between the two clubs, Northamptonshire Police arrested seven travelling supporters of the Dons, with one Northampton fan also arrested.<ref name=eight>"Eight football related arrests during afternoon of MK Dons visit to Northampton Town" by James Averill, MK Citizen, 22 January 2018</ref><ref>"Milton Keynes Dons – Northampton Town 5–3: game report", BBC Sport, 21 January 2017</ref> Four arrests were for public order offences, one for criminal damage, one for pitch encroachment, one for obstructing the police, and one for affray.<ref name=eight/>
Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers are the only other professional team in Buckinghamshire, so games between the two teams are labelled "the Bucks derby".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
CommunityEdit
Through the work of its charity, Milton Keynes Dons SET (Sport and Educational Trust), the club works locally in the fields of education, social inclusion, participation and football development.<ref name="MKDonsSET">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It works with schools, has 14 disability teams playing in regional or national competitions, works with BME (black and minority ethnic) community groups and runs many activities for women and girls.<ref name="MKDonsSET" />
Milton Keynes Dons' work in the community has been recognised by the award of the Football League Awards Community Club of the Season for the South East & East in both 2012 and 2022,<ref name="EFLCommunityAward">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in the award of an honorary doctorate to chairman Pete Winkelman by the Open University in June 2013.<ref name="MK Dons chairman receives Honorary Doctorate from The Open University">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The club have also been awarded Family Excellence status by the EFL every year since the award's inception in 2008, recognising continuing improvement and best practice in family engagement.<ref name="FamilyExcellence">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Youth academyEdit
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Striker Sam Baldock was the first notable academy graduate who, after making 102 appearances, moved on to West Ham United for a seven-figure sum. He later became captain of Bristol City and also played for Derby County. Template:As of, Daniel Powell, Tom Flanagan and George Baldock, brother of Sam, all played regularly for the MK Dons first team.
On 2 February 2015, Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate and first team midfielder Dele Alli was sold to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £5 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Alli became the first Milton Keynes Dons academy graduate to make a full England senior team debut, on 9 October 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Kevin Danso is a graduate of the academy<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> who went on to play for Austria and became the youngest player to make a league appearance in FC Augsburg's history, when making his Bundesliga debut.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nt">Template:Cite news</ref>
Other notable youth graduates who have gone on to play at a higher level include George Williams, Brendan Galloway, Scotland international Liam Kelly and England youth team international Sheyi Ojo.
On 9 August 2016, in a first-round EFL Cup match against Newport County, manager Karl Robinson selected a first-team squad composed of 13 academy graduates and players, giving eight of those players their full debuts for the club including Brandon Thomas-Asante. The game ended with a 2–3 away win for the club.<ref name="Karl delighted with comeback kids">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
PlayersEdit
First-team squadEdit
Template:Updated<ref name="Milton Keynes Dons FC Player Profiles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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Development squadEdit
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Notable playersEdit
Mark Wright finished the 2007–08 season as the club's top goalscorer, helping the Dons win both the League Two title and the Football League Trophy. Jon Otsemobor made 44 appearances for the club and scored the winning goal in the first match against AFC Wimbledon with a back-heel that was later dubbed the "Heel of God".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Milton Keynes Dons were former Premier League player Jimmy Bullard's last club before his retirement from football, making only three appearances for the club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Similarly Dietmar Hamman made 12 appearances as a player-coach before retiring.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Notable players loaned from other clubs were strikers Patrick Bamford, who scored 18 goals in 37 games, Benik Afobe, who became the league's top scorer in just six months, and Ángelo Balanta, whose loan spell lasted three years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Former Ireland international Clinton Morrison<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and former Premiership players Paul Rachubka and James Tavernier also had short loan spells with the club.
Alan Smith, most known for his time at Leeds United and Manchester United, joined the club on loan, signing from Newcastle United before making the move permanent totalling 67 appearances for the club. Other international players who have worn the Dons shirt include Tore André Flo, Ali Gerba, Michel Pensée, Cristian Benavente, Richard Pacquette, Keith Andrews, Russell Martin, Tom Flanagan, Drissa Diallo, Pelé and Ousseynou Cissé. Joe Walsh, Brendan Galloway, Jordan Houghton, Connor Furlong, Gboly Ariyibi, Gareth Edds all represented their countries at youth level.
- This list contains players who have made 100 or more league appearances (with the exception of Dele Alli). Appearances and goals apply to league matches only; substitute appearances are included. Names in bold denote current Milton Keynes Dons players.
- Statistics are correct as of 8 May 2025.<ref name="soccerbaseplayers">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Name | Nationality | Position<ref group="n" name="positions">For a full description of positions see Football positions.</ref> | Milton Keynes Dons career |
Apps | Goals | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Midfielder | 2011–2015 | 88 | 24 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Forward | 2006–2011 | 102 | 33 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Winger | 2011–2017 | 185 | 37 | ||
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | Ireland}} | Midfielder | 2013–2017 | 117 | 6 | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Midfielder | 2008–2014 | 210 | 17 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:AUS | Midfielder | 2004–2008 | 122 | 10 | ||
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | Ireland}} | Midfielder | 2009–2014 | 174 | 16 | |
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | France}} | Goalkeeper | 2007–2011 | 135 | 0 | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Defender | 2012–2016 | 142 | 6 | ||
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | France}} | Defender | 2009–2013 | 121 | 11 | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:SCO | Midfielder | 2008–2011 | 113 | 22 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Defender | 2004–2025 | 791 | 21 | <ref group="n" name="lewington">Dean Lewington played for Wimbledon before the club was renamed in 2004. The date of Milton Keynes Dons's first league match, 7 August 2004, was agreed in 2006 to be the date on which Lewington ceased to play for Wimbledon and began to play for Milton Keynes Dons.</ref> | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Goalkeeper | 2004–2006 2010–17 |
274 | 0 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Forward | 2004–2007 2013–2014 |
165 | 62 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Defender | 2006–2011 | 157 | 15 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Forward | 2005–2007 | 102 | 27 | ||
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | Ireland}} | Midfielder | 2011–2017 | 228 | 9 | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Forward | 2008–2017 | 228 | 37 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:NIR | Midfielder | 2013–2017 | 102 | 22 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Defender | 2013–2016 | 100 | 2 | ||
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Forward | 2005–2011 | 178 | 50 | ||
| Template:Sortname | {{#invoke:flag | Ireland}} | Defender | 2011–2014 | 108 | 19 | |
| Template:Sortname | Template:ENG | Defender | 2016–2021 | 142 | 4 |
Player of the YearEdit
Source:<ref name="MKDPotYWinners">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Club staffEdit
Template:Updated<ref name="Who's Who">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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Football staffEdit
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Liam Sweeting | Sporting Director |
| Simon Crampton | Performance Director |
| Paul Warne | Head Coach |
| Richie Barker | Assistant Head Coach |
| Darren Potter | First Team Coach |
| Adam Ross | Head of Rehabilitation |
| Tom Delaney | First Team Physiotherapist |
| Tom Bromley | Head Strength and Conditioning Coach |
| Shaun Howl | Head Of Performance Analysis |
| David Perkins | Lead First-Team Performance Analyst |
| Nathan Pilecki | Head of Technical Scouting |
| Ram Srinivas | Data Scientist |
| Harry Hagues | Kit Manager |
| Ben Smith | Academy Manager |
| Martin Harris | Academy Operations Manager |
| Stephen Payne | Academy Head of Coaching |
| John Bitting | Lead Professional Development Phase Coach |
| Caitlin O'Reilly | Senior Sports Therapist |
| Natascia Bernardi | Academy Head of Player Care |
Senior managementEdit
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Fahad Al Ghanim | Club Chairman |
| Hamad Almarzouq | Deputy Chairman |
| Ryan Gawley | Club Director / Group Finance Director |
| Andy Gibb | Group Sales & Marketing Director |
| Andy Wooldridge | Commercial Manager |
| Joe Thompson | Head of Communications |
| Dave Clorley | Head of Design |
| Oona Carmichael | Customer Services Manager / Supporter Liaison Officer |
| Andy Standen | Disability Liaison Officer / Safety Officer |
Managerial historyEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
HonoursEdit
League
- League One (level 3)
- Runners-up: 2014–15
- League Two (level 4)
Cup
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 2007–08
- Berks & Bucks Senior Cup
- Winners: 2006–07
- Runners-up: 2005–06, 2017–18
- Portimão Cup<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Winners: 2004
Source: MKDons.com
Records and statisticsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
Milton Keynes Dons WomenEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
The club founded a women's association football team in 2009. They operate as part of the club with an identical badge and strip, and as of the 2018–19 season, the team share Stadium MK as their home stadium with their male counterparts, one of the first clubs in the country to do so.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They compete in the FA Women's National League South.
FootnotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Template:Official website
- Official Supporters Association website (archived 9 January 2016)
- MK Dons news in the Milton Keynes Citizen (current)
Template:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Template:Milton Keynes Dons F.C. seasons {{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} {{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} {{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} Template:Wimbledon F.C. Template:Authority control